ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CLINICAL FUNCTIONING AND AD BIOMARKERS AMONG HISPANIC AND WHITE NON-HISPANIC OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Objectives Hispanics are 1.5x more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) when compared to White non-Hispanics (WNHs). There is also evidence to support that cognitive performance disproportionately reflects neuropathology among Hispanics and that functional decline is concurrent with the accumulation of AD biomarkers. The current study aimed to examine relationships between AD biomarkers and a functional measure among Hispanic and WNH older adults. It was hypothesized that the functional measure would be strongly related to AD biomarkers among Hispanics. Methods The modified clinical dementia rating scale (mCDR) was administered in the participants primary language (English or Spanish) to WNH (n=203) and Hispanic (n=258) older adults who were cognitive normal or diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia. Invariance SEM models were used to compare the pattern of relationships between the mCDR and neurocognitive test performance, MRI volumes, and amyloid load adjusting for age, education, ApoE4 status, and intracranial volume. Results Model fit was good and not significantly worsened by imposing strict structural invariance. Nested model comparisons indicated that regression weights and correlations among measures differed by group, suggestive of moderation by Hispanic status. Among Hispanic participants, sex (♌=-0.17, p<.05) and Amyloid load (♌=0.25, p<.001) significantly predicted mCDR scores. MRI volumes significantly predicted MCDR scores among both Hispanic (♌=-0.51, p<.001) and WNH participants (♌= -0.42, p<.001). Conclusions Functional measures like the mCDR may better correlate with Amyloid load among Hispanic older adults than among WNHs, while the correlation with MRI volumes may be comparable in both groups.

and thus face substantial risk of physical harm, infectious diseases transmission, and even death especially in criminalized environments.Should substitution occur among older PWID, where other comorbid conditions are more common, the benefits could be even greater.To describe substance use patterns among older people who inject drugs and to examine if older PWID are more likely to use cannabis as a substitute for other substances.We analyze data from quantitative, health surveys collected from 429 communityrecruited PWID during 2021/22.Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the drug use patterns among older (50 years of age or more) PWID and multivariate regression to examine if older participants were more likely to substitute cannabis for any other substance.
Results: Among the 429 participants, 110 (or 26%) were 50 years of age or older.Older participants reported being significantly less likely than younger participants to use of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cannabis.In terms of cannabis substitution, older participants were significantly more likely to report using cannabis to reduce alcohol use.Risk and benefits of cannabis use vary among subpopulations.Older PWID might benefit from improved access to cannabis when trying to reduce alcohol use.Given the negative consequences of alcohol use, cannabis substitution might have additional benefits for this subpopulation.

THE CANNABIS AND OLDER PERSONS STUDY: WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED Brian Kaskie, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
The Cannabis and Older Persons Study has examined the increasing use of cannabis among Americans over 60 years old since 2016 reflecting a variety of disciplinary perspectives and methodological approaches.The project team has published a dozen peer reviewed manuscripts and has secured competitive funding swards in California, Colorado, Illinois and Iowa.In this symposium, results from multiple COPS surveys collected from older adults are reviewed with three goals in mind.The first is to demonstrate how older cannabis users are not comparable to younger cannabis users in terms of motives and self-reported outcomes of use.The second is to distinguish therapeutic from recreational cannabis use among older persons by examining survey answers provided by persons with arthritis, cancer, caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and terminal illnesses.The third goal is to differentiate life-time from naïve cannabis users and consider how cannabis may serve as an opioid avoidance or harm reduction strategy.Discussion considers the critical role policy makers, program administrators and clinicians assume in facilitating or hindering cannabis use, and directions for future research.

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS, DISPARITIES, AND HEALTH EQUITY IN DEMENTIA
Abstract citation ID: igad104.0568

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CLINICAL FUNCTIONING AND AD BIOMARKERS AMONG HISPANIC AND WHITE NON-HISPANIC OLDER ADULTS
Miriam Rodriguez 1 , Lisandra Mendoza 2 , Patricia Garcia 3 , Andres Duarte 4 , Dilianna Padron 5 , Michael Marsiske 6 , Jacob Fiala 6 , and Ranjan Duara 7 , 1. Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, United States, 2. Bay Pines VA Health System, Bay Pines, Florida, United States, 3. Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States,4. Albizu University,Doral,Florida,United States,5. Central Virginia VA Healthcare System,Richmond,Virginia,United States,6. University of Florida,Gainesville,Florida,United States,7. Mount Sinai Medical Center,Miami Beach,Miami Beach,Florida,United States Objectives: Hispanics are 1.5x more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease (AD) when compared to White non-Hispanics (WNHs).There is also evidence to support that cognitive performance disproportionately reflects neuropathology among Hispanics and that functional decline is concurrent with the accumulation of AD biomarkers.The current study aimed to examine relationships between AD biomarkers and a functional measure among Hispanic and WNH older adults.It was hypothesized that the functional measure would be strongly related to AD biomarkers among Hispanics.
Methods: The modified clinical dementia rating scale (mCDR) was administered in the participants primary language (English or Spanish) to WNH (n=203) and Hispanic (n=258) older adults who were cognitive normal or diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia.Invariance SEM models were used to compare the pattern of relationships between the mCDR and neurocognitive test performance, MRI volumes, and amyloid load adjusting for age, education, ApoE4 status, and intracranial volume.
Conclusions: Functional measures like the mCDR may better correlate with Amyloid load among Hispanic older adults than among WNHs, while the correlation with MRI volumes may be comparable in both groups.

FAITH IN ACTION BRAIN HEALTH PROGRAM: ADDRESSING BRAIN HEALTH EQUITY GAPS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY
Fayron Epps 1 , Mia Chester 1 , Janelle Gore 2 , Glenna Brewster 1 , Mayra Sainz 1 , Robbin Frazier 3 , Stephanie Monroe 4 , and Virginia Biggar 4 , 1. Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Atlanta,Georgia,United States,3. University of Minnesota,Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation,Minneapolis,Minnesota,United States,4. UsAgainstAlzheimer's,Washington,District of Columbia,United States Black populations are disproportionately impacted by dementia, being twice as likely to be diagnosed with dementia as White people.To help address brain health equity gaps across the country, a partnership between Alter and UsAgainstAlzheimer's BrainGuide was established to launch, Faith in Action, a campaign and brain health education program to provide culturally appropriate brain health resources to Black faith communities.The campaign makes brain health education free and accessible by integrating the latest information about brain health into a toolkit delivered to faith communities.This presentation will describe the campaign and discuss why faith leaders say brain health is important to Black faith communities.This campaign included the distribution of: a) Fact sheets b) Culturally tailored messaging; c) Church fans, bookmarks, and buttons; and d) A guidebook to integrating brain health messaging.In relation to the importance of brain health, the following 5 themes emerged from faith leaders (N = 33) implementing the Alter program: a) Desire to disrupt statistics; b) Urgency and being proactive; c) Offer valuable intergenerational education programs; d) Establish a level of wellness in underserved communities; and e) Protect older adults.The Faith in Action campaign empowers Black faith communities to foster conversations and educate their community members about brain health.This campaign assists in promoting brain health equity by recognizing the significance of partnering with Black churches, a cornerstone of the Black community.Such partnerships are crucial to increasing equitable access to resources and supportive services, and eradicating dementiarelated disparities in the Black community.

RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH COGNITION IN AN ETHNICALLY DIVERSE OLDER POPULATION
Ruth Tappen, Rebecca Koszalinski, and David Newman, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, United States One quarter of older adults in the U.S. are socially isolated; far more experience subjective loneliness.The potentially negative effects of limited social support and social engagement pose a concern for maintaining the well-being of older individuals, including the effect on cognitive function.To test the hypothesis that cognitive function is associated with social support and social engagement, we employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze data from an ethnically diverse sample (118 African American, 147 Afro-Caribbean, 133 Hispanic, and 235 European American) of 623 community-dwelling older adults age ≥ 65 (173 male, 450 female).Using the model proposed by Cenè et al. ( 2022), we conceptualized level of social support and engagement as the exposure, emotional state (anxiety, depression, general emotional well-being), and physical function (functional activity, life space, general physical function, and self-rating of health) as mediators and cognitive function as the outcome of interest.Statistically significant direct and indirect effects were found between the three latent variables (emotional state, physical function, and social support and social engagement), indicating that the level of social support and engagement the older individual is related directly and indirectly to cognition SE=.49,p<.028;SE=0.795,p=0.017).The SEM models showed goodness of fit with χ2/df=3.001,CFI=0.931,AGFI=0.966,SRMR=0.045, and RMSA=0.058,and explained 35.3% of the variability.These values support the hypothetical model.Results suggest the importance of maintaining existing social support